No hijacks here ........... bug repellent

[Steve B]

In another thread, there's mention of making a hot pepper insecticide. Since it wouldn't kill the insects, but just get them to leave the plant alone, does that make it an insecticide which "cide" infers death?

Minor point, now to the major one.

When I lived in Louisiana, the bug capitol of the Universe, I learned the following recipe for "bug repellent" from an old Cajun.

Get a plug of "Days Work" tobacco, if you can find it in your area. If not, any leaf chewing tobacco will work. Day's Work was way cheap back then (1970's) and it was sold everywhere.

Get some Dawn dishwashing solution.

Get some mouthwash.

Boil about one cubic inch of Day's work in a quart of water for about ten minutes. Let cool.

Get a gallon milk jug.

Strain the quart of Day's Work tea into your gallon jug through a panty hose and funnel to remove the things that will clog up your empty Windex sprayer.

Add 1 tbsp. Dawn.

Add 6 fl. oz. of ANY mouthwash.

Add enough water to fill the gallon jug.

Put into an old Windex or any hand sprayer (guess you could make gallons and use a big pump sprayer), and spray your plants.

When I had lots of aphids, you could actually see the aphids HOP OFF THE PLANT within 30 seconds while I was standing there.

This stuff stays on the plant for a good while. If it is absorbed into the plant, it is nothing that will harm you if you ingest it. It can be sprayed on the ground for cutworms, and things that crawl up from the bottom. You can spray it on flowering plants, plants with developing fruit. You can actually spray it on your lawn.

GOOD, CHEAP STUFF. It works! And it works reeeeeeeeal good.

Yer welcome.

Steve

[Snag]

I just stole an' saved your repelling recipe ...

[David Hare-Scott]

This will work alright as you are spraying with nicotine which is quite poisonous. Do not ingest this liquid, especially the concentrate.

Just because it comes from tobacco, arguably a natural product, does NOT mean that it is safe for humans or pets.

See here:

"Nicotine poisoning describes the symptoms of the toxic effects of consuming nicotine, which can potentially be deadly. Historically, most cases of nicotine poisoning have been the result of use of nicotine as an insecticide."

David

[songbird]

...

i seem to recall there being some tobacco diseases that you'd not like spread to a garden?

am i mistaken in this?

songbird

[Steve B]

Would one mix that with vermouth, or creme de menthe? Maybe like an old fashioned, a little simple syrup, some bourbon and bitters? Would eight glasses be enough, or too much?

Steve

[Bloke Down The Pub]

You may be thinking of tobacco mosaic

which can harm plenty of garden plants. Although I do not know if its going to survive the processing done here. I would still be aware of the nicotine content though.

Mike

[Billy]

And there is enough nicotine in one cigarette to kill a person, if it all got into your blood stream. Nicotine is good for decorative plants, but not good for food crops.

[David Hare-Scott]

What are you saying here, are you still claiming that "nothing that will harm you if you ingest it", or are you saying just don't drink it? How will you get that message through to kids and pets?

There are other ways of ingesting toxins instead of drinking them. One of the aspects of modern farming that makes it dangerous is the opportunity to ingest poisons. Do you think all those farmers deliberately drink the stuff they work with? Ingesting includes inhaling and absorbing through the skin, which are both easy to do if you are spraying.

I think it would be better for all if you just agreed that you slipped up and that people should take care (as they should when using any poison in the garden) not to ingest nicotine in this form. That would include the usual precautions to keep the stuff away from children.

David

[Steve B]

Agreed. But for everyone that's getting their panties in a wad, we're talking about misting very small amounts. And I would imagine that anyone who uses this stuff would put it in their locked shed with the reeeeeeealy nasty deadly stuff, away from pets and children. Out of the things in the shed that can kill a person, this is in the 2/10 range, and that only if someone intentionally drank a lot, and I don't see how they'd get past the first gulp, and most of that would be vomited immediately.

Relax, people. Just trying to share something. It's inexpensive, it works. But anyone can and do abuse anything. I won't be responsible if some NASCAR bubba wants to substitute this for his chaw and tries to sneak it past the gate in a coke bottle.

Steve

Steve

[Steve B]

If concerned, the nicotine content can be easily lessened by using less tobacco. It don't take much.

Steve

[Gunner]

We had a big discussion on tobacco "cide" back in Feb to the same basic end, specifically some felt one needs to label the product so you do not drink it. The old Black Flag 40 myth was dispelled,as was the myth of rubbing a cigarette on a rabbit's neck killed him. Here is the relevant snip:

"The Colorado State link is general info on nicotine products with its homepage below it if you want further info. Just know nicotine is not the Antichrist's power drink as outlined but use chewing tobacco. A common sense approach to preparing and using any pesticide should be a sufficient disclaimer.

are some easy to follow formularies to look over. One is written for junior High School students by the University of Georgia but still should answer your specific question:

notes; do not use nicotine products on tomatoes or peppers because of the possible spread of the tobacco mosaic virus and know the difference between soap and detergent."

here is another site for pesticides I have bookmarked you might like: